Geranium plant named ‘Pactal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pactal’, characterized by its upright, rounded and compact plant habit; freely basal branching and flowering habit; leaves without a zonation pattern; red purple-colored flowers with more intense red purple-colored blotches; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Pactal’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pactal’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with attractiveflower coloration.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 2000 of two unnamed proprietary selectionsof Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented. The cultivar Pactal wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inDresden, Germany in June, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Dresden, Germany since January, 2002 has shownthat the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pactal’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pactal’ as a new cultivar and distinguish itfrom the other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright, rounded and compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching and flowering habit.    -   3. Leaves without a zonation pattern.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers with more intense red        purple-colored blotches.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in flower coloration and flower form.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thecultivar Swero, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,752. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of thenew Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Swero in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were smaller than plants of        the cultivar Swero.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had more flowers per umbel        than plants of the cultivar Swero.    -   3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium and the cultivar Swero        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pactal’ grownin a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Pactal have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in containers inDresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about16° C. and light levels ranging from 15 to 100 kilolux. Plants used forthe photograph and the description were about nine months old. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical Classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Pactal.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 18 days at 22° C.            Winter: About 22 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plants.—Summer: About 25 days            at 22° C. Winter: About 30 days at 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright, rounded and compact plant            habit; uniform; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely basal branching habit with about 15 lateral            branches per plant; pinching is not required.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 30 cm.        -   Plants height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 45 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Internode length: About 1 to 2 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: 147B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;            simple. Length: About 3 to 4 cm. Width: About 5 to 7 cm.            Shape: Rounded. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate; open. Margin:            Bicrenate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; rough. Color: Developing            foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower            surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A;            venation, 146B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B;            venation, 146B. Zonation pattern: Absent. Petiole: Length:            About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Red purple-colored flowers with more            intense red purple-colored splotches; semi-double rotate            flowers arranged in rounded hemispherical umbels arising            from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed upright above the            foliage on strong peduncles. Flowers face upright to            outwardly; flowers slightly cupped and uniform. Flowers            persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 20 umbels            per plant, about 24 flower buds and open flowers per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous from            April until frost in the fall.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to ten            days and umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 7 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 to 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: 144A.        -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About seven. Length:            About 2.8 to 3 cm. Width: About 2.2 to 2.8 cm. Shape:            Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: 74B to 74D; blotches, 57A; venation, similar to            lamina. When opening and fully opened, lower surface; 75B;            towards the base, 75D; venation, similar to lamina.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About six, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 to 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: about 11 to 15 cm. Diameter:            About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 146B.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.5 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About twelve. Anther length: About 1 to 2 mm. Anther shape:            Oblong. Anther color: Brown. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen            color: Golden brown. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted.            Stigma color: Red purple. Style length: About 3 to 4 mm.            Style color: Red purple. Ovary color: Pale green.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from −0.5    to 40° C. and have demonstrated good garden performance.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Pactal’,as herein illustrated and described.